How to Clean Suede Shoes: Part II

Essential Tips for Maintaining Their Luxurious Look

Who doesn’t love a good pair of suede shoes? They look phenomenal when they’re brand new, but keeping that just-purchased look takes a bit of effort. As popular as suede is, it’s not exactly known for its durability, and it can easily become damaged from something as simple as stepping in a puddle or getting wet.

However, with a little effort and planning, you can help your favorite suede shoes maintain their stylish, luxurious look. Regular cleaning with the right tools and techniques helps lift stains and scuffs while retaining the velvety-soft texture your feet love.

What You’ll Need

Before you begin, ensure you have all the needed supplies. Suede is a delicate material that requires careful maintenance to keep it looking its best. Gather the following:

Suede brush: This tool helps gently clean dirt from dry suede.
Suede eraser: A suede eraser is great for removing stains caused by water and dirt.
Microfiber cloth: Microfiber is gentle, lint-free, and absorbent, making it a great choice to remove excess moisture from the suede without leaving lint behind or scratching the material.
White vinegar or rubbing alcohol: Vinegar and rubbing alcohol can be used to lift stubborn stains gently. Alternatively, you can use suede cleaner manufactured specifically for use on suede.
Clean towel: This can be used to dry your shoes or brush away dirt while preparing for stain removal.
Suede protection spray: While optional, applying a suede protectant is strongly recommended to prevent future stains.

Preparation

Familiarize yourself with the process of cleaning suede before you begin. Suede is sensitive to shoe polish, baking soda, harsh chemicals, water, heat, and more. You can’t clean these shoes like you would other pairs without risking irreversible damage that can take away from their overall look.

Let’s prepare your shoes for cleaning.

Assess the Situation

How you approach cleaning your suede shoes depends on how dirty they are. Do you have a lot of stains and scuffs that need to be cleaned? Are they dirty from an accidental step in the mud? Fortunately, you have options that can help tidy even filthy suede shoes.

Before we get started, check to see if your shoes are wet. They should be dry before you start, or the stains might set in permanently. However, suede is sensitive to heat, so don’t toss your shoes into the dryer or next to a heater or fireplace to dry. You should set them in front of a fan instead.

Stuff your dry shoes with newspaper or a shoe tree to help them retain their shape while you clean them.

Remove Excess Surface Dirt

Shoes are meant for walking, so they’re bound to get dirty sometimes. It’s normal to have some dirt, dust, and debris on your shoes from regular use, but you want to remove as much as possible before you start cleaning stains.

Use a suede brush to gently clean accumulated dirt. Don’t try to wet the shoes to remove stubborn dirt, as moisture can damage the material.

Gather Your Materials

Gather any necessary materials, including a cleaner. We recommend using white vinegar or rubbing alcohol to help lift stains without compromising the suede’s color or integrity since most households already have these items sitting around. However, you can also purchase specific suede cleaners if desired.

Many suggested items can be substituted if you don’t have them on hand. For example, in a pinch, a spare toothbrush can stand in for a suede brush, although it may take longer to cover the material. A clean cloth or towel can also work well for this purpose. If you don’t have a suede eraser, a pencil eraser can be effective.

Cleaning Suede Shoes

Follow these steps to clean your suede shoes.

Step 1: Remove Stains

Some stains can be lifted from suede relatively easily, especially if you have a suede brush and eraser on hand. How you remove the stains depends on whether they’re wet or dry. Be sure to start gently to avoid unnecessary damage to the shoes.

For dry stains, follow these steps until the stain fades:

Start by removing any loose dirt with a suede brush.
Using a dry microfiber cloth, gently rub the stain to remove it.
If the stain remains, try rubbing it with an eraser.
For persistent stains, dab some rubbing alcohol or white vinegar on a microfiber cloth. The cloth should be more damp than saturated. Gently dab at the stain, massaging in the cleaner of choice. These acidic liquids can sometimes break down debris, contributing to the staining. You might notice some slight discoloration as you apply the vinegar or alcohol, but the color should return to normal as the suede dries.
Once the shoes dry, use the suede brush to remove any remaining stains.
If the brush fails, try using a suede eraser. Rub the stain gently with the eraser to remove it. Remember to use a light touch to avoid permanent damage to the material.

To eliminate wet stains, follow these steps:

Remove as much moisture as possible using a clean microfiber cloth. Set the cloth over the stain and apply gentle pressure to wick away moisture. Repeat this process, using clean parts of the cloth, until the suede looks dry and you can no longer pull moisture from it.
Leave the shoes to air dry.
Follow the above steps for removing dry stains.

Step 2: Brush to Restore Texture

Suede’s texture can change during wear as the material stretches, ages, and gets wet. Moisture is the biggest threat to your suede shoes, causing the small leather hairs that give it its soft, smooth texture to become brittle. Unfortunately, as suede becomes brittle and breaks off, the texture becomes permanently damaged.

If your suede shoes’ velvety texture fades, reach for a suede crepe brush. Using delicate, circular, or side-to-side motions, brush the suede to restore the texture.

Step 3: Remove Scuffs

Surface marks and scuffs can leave a lasting impact on your shoes’ appearance, but suede erasers make quick work of minor damage. Ideally, you should use an eraser specifically designed for suede, but in a pinch, you can use a pencil eraser or a cleaning eraser designed for lifting stains.

Make sure the eraser is free from stains, and start rubbing it into the suede. It’s okay to apply more pressure than when cleaning with a microfiber cloth and cleaners, but don’t press too hard. A back-and-forth motion can be particularly useful for stubborn scuffs.

Step 4: Add the Protection

If you’re applying a suede protectant, follow the directions on the packaging to avoid damage. It’s generally recommended that you test the product before using it on the entirety of your shoes. Spray a small amount of the protectant on a discreet part of the shoe, then swipe across the area with a white cloth. This helps ensure the protectant doesn’t lift the color from your shoes.

Typically, applying protectant is as simple as shaking the can, holding it at the specified distance from the shoe, and spraying the shoe. It’s better to apply two light, even coats than one heavy one, allowing the suede to dry between applications.

We recommend applying protection to your suede shoes every 3 months for the best results.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers to the following frequently asked questions can have you cleaning your suede shoes like a pro in no time.

What are some common mistakes when cleaning suede shoes?

Some of the most common mistakes when cleaning suede shoes include:

Using too much moisture
Scrubbing suede while it’s wet
Using sunlight or heat to dry them
Applying too much pressure while brushing or cleaning
Using harsh chemicals
Forgetting to brush before and after cleaning to retain texture

Can I clean suede shoes with water?

No, suede is by no means a water shoe. Even wearing unprotected suede shoes in rainy or wet conditions can permanently damage the material. Water tends to cause the bristles or hairs on the suede that give it its signature velvety look to weaken. They thin and eventually fall off. Adding moisture can also cause the suede to become deformed or stretched while cleaning.

Can I use a regular eraser instead of a suede eraser?

While a suede eraser is your best bet, you can use a pencil or nonabrasive eraser instead. Make sure you choose a white one to avoid transferring any color to the suede.